Rating: 
Summary: Very Depressing
Review: I'm going into tenth grade at Poudre High School and this was one of the summer reading books we are required to read for the program I'm in called IB. This book was good in the sense that it focused on the faults of society through the group of stranded boys on the island, which was very creative. But I however did not like the book for the sole reason of the killings, and how the boys felt no remorse at all, except for Ralph. This is exaclty what the author intended of course, but I thought it was very morbid and cruel. I would advise you not to read this book if you are looking for something uplifting.
Rating: 
Summary: Modern classic and thought-provoking
Review: This book is where "Survivor" got the idea, however turn that towards pre-adolescents without the control of any rules or authority. Chaos, fear, blood-bath. Written after WWII, and loaded with symbolism and comments about civilization and violence, the only criticism that really bugged me on the book is that there are no girls or females on the island; how can you realistically have a society, or critique mankind and exclude the other half?
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Summary: Lord of the Flies - Survival of the Fittest...really.
Review: "Lord of the Flies" is a fantastically written tale of a group of English school boys whose plane is shot down during an atomic attack. They end up on an uninhabited desert island where they are faced with what seems like a perfect situation to them - NO ADULTS! At the beginning, the situation is paradise to them, until they realize that they might be there longer than they thought. They have to learn how to survive. Ralph, the story's protagonist, decides that they should be logical and set up shelters. Ralph is a smart boy in that he is thinking about the good of everyone. Sometimes though, even Ralph does give in to the primitive desires of man and joins the celebration after a successful pig hunt. Piggy, an overweight, nearsighted, asthmatic, serves as the well meaning reminder of what they "should" be doing. Ralph befriends him, even when no one else will listen to him or take him seriously. Piggy's glasses or "specs" prove to be very useful and are a very meaningful symbol of society: the maintenence and breakdown thereof, in the story. Then there's Jack, the leader of a choir of boys from his school. His character eventually serves as an antagonist for Ralph and a symbol of man's primal desires for survival. He provides meat for the group and uses it as a powerful luring agent to get some boys to join his "tribe". Simon is another character you should be familiar with. My personal favorite as he turns out to be the wisest and most spiritual (not necessarily "religious") of the entire lot of boys. Simon, prone to fainting spells brought on by epilepsy, is never taken seriously by any of the boys, including Ralph or Piggy. His spiritual nature leaves him far beyond the others' realm of understanding. There are two unfortunate, but dare I say - necessary, deaths in the book but I won't give that part away. I say "necessary" but only on a symbolic level. Once you discover what the characters meant symbolically to the story, you will know what I mean. The ending goes through two extremes. It gets you right into the action in a wonderfully descriptive chase scene which almost makes you feel like the one who is being chased and then takes you right out forcing you to become an objective observer of the scene. Terrific writing, fantastic symbolism and an overall great story. Not for the faint of heart though. I would recommend this one for grades 7 and up.
Rating:
Summary: I'm liking it so far!
Review: I'm a 10th grader in Salinas, CA and my summer school "Puente Program" is having a good time reading Lord of the Flies. I believe that Jack wants anarchy and Ralph wants to have a monarchy. I would have to say that if I were stranded on an island I would be like Ralph but want to have fun as Jack. It's hard to keep order and chaos distance from each other. I can't wait to finish and be surprised even moreto what happens. R.I.P Simon.
Rating:
Summary: TonighT, in the ArenA its ... Id versus Superego!
Review: Anybody know what my title's about? Basically, this: In the battle between your impulsive, selfish side and your rational, moral side which would ultimately win? The plot of this novel is misleadingly simple. Some shipwrecked British lads must fend for themselves on an island while waiting to be rescued. Their only hope for returning to civilization is to keep a fire burning in the hope that a ship will see the smoke. A leader is chosen. The society is well organized and, intitially, works. Then the "littlun's" confess their superstitious fear of a mysterious "beast" lurking in the woods. Disputes concerning priorities and leadership divide the boys. Gradually, the wilderness in them all possesses them wholly. This is the tragedy in Golding's eyes. Everything natural is condemned, while things of intellect are placed on a pedestal. This book is nothing if not symbolic. Jack is selfish desires (Freud's "Id")while Piggy is intellect (Freud's "Superego"). Piggy's glasses represent reason. Remmeber this when anything happens to them, and what Piggy is like without them. Ralph is Mr. Inbetween (AKA: Freud's "Ego"). He's the closest to you and me. The conch represents order in society. Pay close attention to the physical appearances of the characters as well. It indicates how well adapted they are to the island. The trick is that those most suited to the island are those most in tune with their instincts and animal desires. THey are the ones who give up on the fire. THey are the ones whom commit the injust acts. THey are the inhumane consequences of total submission to human desire.
Rating:
Summary: Man or Monster?
Review: This book was truly excellent. It really shows how civilization can collapse when people are faced with uncivil conditions. It also has some great metophorical things in it that show you that there is more to the book than you may think. It was kind of hard to sit down and read, and I had to go back and re-read some parts, but other than that, I recomend this book to anyone who wants a really facinating novel that will make you think. The good things definatley out-weigh the bad.
Rating:
Summary: Human nature...
Review: This novel was a very symbolic and accurate detail of the irony of human nature. It delivered with subtle power the message that we are all capable of tearing each other apart. Although slow to start off with, "The Lord of the Flies" finished with a punch and kept me thinking about the messages it sent for days afterwards. A good read.
Rating:
Summary: one fo the best
Review: I could go into the deep underlying messages that are contained in this wonderful novel by Golding but that would ruin it for you, the next reader. This book is by far one of the best books i have ever read. The easy to understand writing made what was going on to these castaways all too clear to miss. But at the same time their fate was intricatly layed in front of me and compeling and made me stop and think, "maybe it could happen that way if..." . Ralph's attempt to make sense of the situation and Piggy's need for structure in order to survive were both brutally beaten down by the harsh reality of the situation that Jack embraced. If there were ever a novel written for Darwin's theory this would be it. children lose touch with civilization and do what they think they must to survive. all around one book that i suggest to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: What separates man from the animals...
Review: might only be man's ability to appreciate this book. And apparently much to my surprise some people aren't able to appreciate this masterpiece. And masterpiece it is. It is one of the greatest novels of the Twentieth Century, rivaled only by The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye. What should be examined is whether the book would ever receive a mediocre reading once given appropriate discussion of the symbolism and implications for society and the inherent evil in an unmanaged civilization. This is a book that on the surface might appear gory, pessimistic, and blah. But that's most likely derived from a shallow and effortless reading of the text. Like The Great Gatsby, this is a text that should be read on a regular basis to re-live the youthful pleasures of reading.
Rating: 
Summary: The Bad before the Good
Review: This book was absolutely awful until I reached the notes at the end of the book. I was bored by the lack of theme to the story and much of the visual descritpion was unnessecary. I was also confused by the absence of important information. Not until the end of the book did I realize that the story took place during World War II. Also, I could not decipher who the boys were and why they were all together yet did not know each other for some time. Once I reached the reflective notes at the end, though, I was very impressed by the symbolism and hidden ideas in the book. I would only prefer to find them myself in the reading, rather than be told them at the end. For instance, I made no connection as to how the sow was killed to rape because the killing was not vividly described, and no resemblance was obvious. The notes told me that, and I understood the total point the author was trying to make more, but I was still disappointed that I could not have made the connections myself.
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